Editorial

There is no beating about the bush, it is time for Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to sit down with his Cabinet colleagues and give them a piece of his mind not as coach but as leader accountable to the electorate.

In addition, Dr Gonzi should exercise his prerogative to make a significant Cabinet reshuffle, if anything to transmit a clear message to all that he is in command and that he does care about what the people think.

Dr Gonzi has had an uphill battle ever since he took over the Premiership in March last year. His toughest challenge must have been the difficult decisions he had to make, or press for; decisions that could not be made earlier as the Nationalist government focused all its attention and resources in guiding the country safely towards European Union membership.

In doing so, the Nationalist Party in government not only fulfilled its own political programme and pledges but also gave the majority of the people what they willed, as evidenced in both the referendum on EU accession and in the subsequent general election. Opposition Leader Alfred Sant should take note of this before making it look as if the PN was somehow wrong in winning the last election on the EU ticket.

Dr Sant, who was only able to command a majority in the House of Representatives for 22 months, the other day called on the Prime Minister to either call an early election or reshuffle the Cabinet. Given his political baggage, he is certainly the most ill-suited politician to make such a call. He accused ministers of being seemingly bent on upping their popularity ratings. Now that is certainly a case of the chimney calling the kettle black.

Dr Sant had called a very early election and lost it miserably. He may now hope he will be returned to power. That may be the case but if that happens, it will be by default more than through merit.

But, to return to the main argument, a reshuffle in Dr Gonzi's Cabinet has now become an urgent matter.

Let nobody run away with the idea that all Cabinet members are useless and ineffective. However, some of them have lost sight of what they are supposed to achieve. Others have run dry of ideas. Some are simply unable to make a decision and one in particular has become the epitome of arrogance.

There is no need to mention names. The electorate knows exactly which is which. And so does the Prime Minister.

Dr Gonzi must go ahead and just do it. He may wish to consider reducing the size of the Cabinet and also study whether so many parliamentary secretaries are required.

One item that Dr Gonzi must definitely put right on top of his agenda is the government's communications strategy. The situation is so bad one wonders if such a strategy exists. Perhaps appointing a person at Cabinet level to handle this delicate job would not be amiss.

Transparency and accountability are other urgent matters to tackle. Is Dr Gonzi, for example, willing to consider ordering all ministries/departments to publish all details of all contracts issued, whatever the nature and value?

Dr Gonzi has shown himself effective in making tough decisions affecting the public. Will he be as tenacious when it is ministers he is dealing with?